Police use spike mats to stop fleeing woman on New Year's Eve

MIDDLETON — Police were led on a pursuit through several local towns on New Year's Eve that ended in the apprehension of a Rochester woman after the department placed spike mats to stop her.

BY Samantha Allensallen@fosters.com

MIDDLETON — Police were led on a pursuit through several local towns on New Year's Eve which ended in the apprehension of a Rochester woman after spike mats were used to stop her vehicle.

Elizabeth A. Beinhorn, 31, of 135 A Portland St., Rochester, has been charged with reckless conduct, a Class B felony, and disobeying a police officer, a Class A misdemeanor. A reckless conduct charge carries a penalty of 3 ½ to 7 years imprisonment and the misdemeanor charge in punishable by up to one year in jail.

Beinhorn was reportedly arrested without incident by New Hampshire State Police and the Milton Police Department after Middleton police placed spike mats in the roadway near the intersection of Governor’s Road and Route 153 in Middleton, according to a press release.

The pursuit initially began on Route 11 in Rochester when Beinhorn was allegedly traveling in her 2003 Nissan Altima on the wrong side of the road, at speeds between 45 and 60 miles per hour. Beinhorn then entered Farmington, where police were dispatched for assistance, and into Milton along Route 153.

Beinhorn was finally stopped following a spike mat deployment at the intersection of King’s Highway and Route 153 in Middleton shortly before midnight.

Middleton Police Chief Randy Sobel told Foster’s Tuesday morning the spike mats are typically used to slow suspects down by puncturing their tires, and the procedure isn't dangerous.

“It’s doesn’t blow the tire off the rim. It slowly deflates them...” he explained. “(We’ve used them) maybe twice in the last year.”

Sobel said he could not comment further on the incident since New Hampshire State Police troopers made the arrest.